Hindustan
by Shadow Elrondsell
Summary: After the events of Dead In The Family, Dermot decides to take a journey of self-discovery and invites Sookie. Spoilers for all the Books. Sensitive subjects are discussed.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Oo00oO

A week had passed by since Ocella's final death. Eric took it well, or perhaps it seemed that way because he was busy trying to keep Victor Madden at bay. No overt moves had been made, not since Pam and I were attacked on the roadside. However, as Eric and Pam constantly kept reminding me, that meant nothing. Madden could just be biding his time. A watch had been placed outside my house, and I spent almost every night with Eric.

Dermot and Claude both decided to stay with me, something that both annoyed and gladdened me. Claude wasn't that annoying anymore, and Dermot was wonderful when he wasn't feeling depressed. All the time he spent under Niall's spell seemed to have confused him, and he was still trying to come to terms with himself.

I think all three of us were still reeling. I had been having nightmares since the night Ocella was staked, and Claude seemed to still be mourning Claudine. The nightmares were worrying Eric, despite my constant assurances they'd go away. Honestly though, I was worried myself, and Eric probably felt that through the bond. The nightmares were about my uncle Bartlett, and what had happened with Bill in the trunk, neither of which I wanted to discuss with Eric. Pam and Eric, on the other hand, seemed to think it had something to do with how eager I was to kill Ocella and still was about to killing Victor. Both of them told me separately, that it wasn't like me and Pam spouted off about how Dear Abby said that emotional trauma can cause a person to behave differently from their usual manner.

All of that was probably the reason why Dermot sat down to talk to me this afternoon.

Oo00oO

_I was just finishing lunch when Dermot came into the kitchen and sat across from me._

"_Sookie, I need to get away from here for a while. I've spent so much time under my father's spell that I'm having trouble being myself again." He just came out and said it without preamble._

"_Where will you go? How long will you be gone?" I wasn't his keeper. He was my great uncle and could take care of himself._

"_India. I've always loved the country, even though my family preferred the Western world. I have contacts, property, and friends there. Moreover, India has a way of teaching you things you never could imagine about yourself. She helps you discover yourself." He had a dreamy look in his eye. Then he suddenly looked right at me. "I want you to accompany me."_

_I stared at him. "What? I've got work to do; I can't just leave Sam hanging. Eric is here, and we've finally settled down into some sort of relationship."_

"_Sookie, instead of thinking about them and their reactions, think about yourself. You've been exhausted and skittish. Something is bothering you. Just as Fintan watched your family from afar, so did I, although for different reasons. You've been behaving very differently from the norm. I think the trip might be helpful, to both of us." He held up his hand as I started to protest. "Think it over. I'll be leaving in three days. If you do decide to accompany me, don't worry about the visa, accommodations, or plane tickets. As I said, I own property there and I'll be taking a private plane. The visa is easily taken care of. All you have to do is say '"yes"'."_

_As soon as he finished his speech, he left the room. _

Oo00oO

I was still a bit stunned and reeling from what he had proposed. This wasn't good, as I was supposed to be working. Sam looked at me from across the bar and asked me what the matter was.

" One of my_ relatives_ invited me to join him on a vacation to India," I replied.

"Just the two of you?" Sam asked. I nodded. "Why?" At my inquiring look he elaborated. "Why you?"

"He thinks it'll help me. Something about self-discovery. Maybe he just wants to get to know me." At that moment a customer called for my attention so I went over to the table.

When I finished giving Sam the new order, I started to turn around. He caught my arm and stopped me. "I think you should go. Don't worry about work. I can manage without you, and you can work extra hours when you come back. Lord knows you returned to work too soon after the Fairy War." He left my arm and started filling the orders without giving me a chance to reply.

Oo00oO

I left Sam's office after my shift, picking my things and heading for the parking lot. I took the employee's exit out back and was half way across the parking lot when I heard Terry Bellefleur call me. I waited for him to catch up and he did.

"Thank Jesus, I thought I missed ya." He paused to catch his breath.

"Is something wrong Terry?" I liked Terry. He was a bit damaged after his experiences. Terry had fought in the Vietnam War and had been taken as a P.O.W. His mind was one I tried to stay out of because of his demons.

"I overheard your talk with Sam. I didn't mean to. Ya'll were just next to me and I couldn't help it." He looked a bit nervous.

"That's alright! You're a friend Terry. Now just spit out whatever you want to say." I could read his mind, but I'm a bit afraid sometimes of what I'll find there.

"I think you should go, too. Not because you'll be away from that vampire of yours. I'm not Sam." He gave a small smile. I was a bit stunned, though. I usually don't think about Terry all that much, and I was a little surprised by just how aware he was of his surroundings. "I think you should go because you've been off, Sookie. I've seen the same behavior from my old comrades in the army and from myself. Now I know I'm the last person to talk to about this, but I remember Asia. It's a real nice place when there aren't any enemy soldiers about. Go."

Then Terry walked off, leaving me standing there alone.

_Just how messed up was I acting that __**Terry Bellefleur **__noticed it and gave me advice?_


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: This story is set in the month of October. I know it doesn't fit in with the books, but by the time I figured that out the outline was done.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Oo00oo

I spent the night at Eric's, as usual. After we made love, we lay there on the bed for a while. Then he asked how my day went. I told him about work, a few things I did during the day, and then about Dermot's proposal, but kept the conversations with Sam and Terry to myself. His opinion surprised me.

"I think a vacation is a good idea," he said. When I started to object he held up his hand. "You would be safe, and I would not have to worry about Victor harming you."

"Has he done something? Have you heard from your spy?"

"I have not, which is what worries me. Without his second, Victor seems to be keeping his cards close." As always, I felt a twinge of amusement when he used modern phrases. Eric gave me a disapproving look and went on. "He knows that you are a very useful asset, as well as my weakness. Pam also cares for you, which puts you at greater risk."

"So you want me to just leave and let you take care of it? Run like a coward?" I was angry. Did he really think I'd be happy to let him stay, putting himself in danger, while I would be "safe" elsewhere?

"I want you to get away. Sookie, I've survived for over eleven centuries, I can take care of myself. You have not yet seen thirty winters; instead of fighting, listen!" He was getting angry; his speech pattern was more formal.

A part of me wanted to keep fighting, but another wanted to give in, which made me angrier. I wondered if he was manipulating me through the bond. I told him as such, which made him angrier and stirred my own anger.

"I am not," he said, succinctly. Then he stood up and began to pace.

In a brief moment of déjà vu, I was reminded about when he first invited me to come to his house. I had turned him down, and the end result wasn't pretty. That thought helped me calm down. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what came over me."

He paused in his pacing, looking over at me. "Another reason you should go. Dermot was right, you need to think of yourself. Although, I would rather you not go with him. I will arrange for you to go elsewhere."

My temper flared up again. "Why can't I go with Dermot?"

"Sookie, he tried to kill you. He is half-Fae. Do you need more reason than that?"

"He never tried to kill me! He saved me from the crazy fairy that _was_ going to kill me. I'm going with him. He is my great-uncle, _my family_. I don't have much of that left." Tears started to blur my vision.

Eric immediately tried to calm me down. He rushed over and wrapped his arms around me. "Very well then, you will go with him. There is no need for tears, my lover."

I decided to change the subject. "Are you going to Fangtasia today?"

He pulled back and looked down at me. "No, we have the night to ourselves. May I suggest we make the most of it? I will miss you when you are away."

Just hearing him say that made me miss him already. I decided to go along with his suggestion.

Oo00oo

I drove back to Bon Temps the next morning. Dermot was waiting in the kitchen for me, with breakfast.

"Have you reached a decision? Or do you need more time?" he asked as he served breakfast for me. He, Claude and I took turns cooking.

"I'm coming with you," I replied.

He beamed at me. "Excellent! We will leave on the 17th of this month and leave India on the 4th of November. I suggest you pack accordingly. There will be rains, mosquitoes and a party or two." He paused, "but it will not be fun and games. We're going there for a reason, and the journey may be difficult."

"Will it be very hot? I don't know much about India, I've never met anyone who has been there. Where will we be staying?"

"We will have our base in Bangalore but will travel to other parts. Rural areas, other cities, a few tourist spots. One thing you must keep in mind is that people in India are very conservative. As a foreigner they will be lenient on you, but you must dress conservatively. A few of the places I take you to will not let you in if your arms and legs are uncovered. That means full sleeves and pants, Sookie."

I nodded my head. Great! Another Iraq.

After I finished breakfast, I called Sam to tell him the news. He sounded happy and told me he had a waitress to cover for me. After Arlene left, Sam had hired a new waitress and a college student who came in as a substitute. I didn't feel too bad about leaving Sam short as I knew the student would fill in. She needed the money, too.

After I hung up, I decided to go over to Terry's. The talk we had yesterday made me want to know him a little better.

Oo00oo

When I got out of the car, Terry's dog ran up to greet me. He loved his catathoulas, perhaps because it's easier for him to be around them than people. I saw his red hair peeking out from the sitting room window.

"Hello Sookie! Come on in," he called out to me. I walked in and he gestured for me to sit. "Why'd ya come all the way out here?"

I decided to come clean. "After you spoke to me yesterday, I realized I don't know you all that much. You notice much more than you let on. Most people don't notice you, talk to you and really get to know you, and I'm the same. I'm sorry for that. I came to try and change that."

He looked at me with a smile on his face. "You're wrong. You aren't like the rest. One thing I always liked about you and your gran. Ya'll were never afraid of me, or called me insane. You accepted me and ya'll are great cooks, too." He suddenly stood up. "I forgot. You're a guest. I should get you something to eat." He smiled ruefully. "I don't get many guests, so I don't have much."

I rushed to reassure him. "I don't need anything Terry, you're an amazing host. Don't ever think you're not."

I went with him into his kitchen. We sat down at his small rickety table and ate biscuits, drank water and talked. We chatted for over an hour. I was sorry to leave, but I had work. I couldn't believe how refreshing it was to talk to someone about just normal, everyday things and not supe-related topics. Don't get me wrong - Eric asks about my day, and we have conversations about normal things too, but it is always _there_. The pink elephant in the room. It was so refreshing to talk to Terry. He knew about the existence of vampires and the two-natured, but nothing of their politics.

It made me realize just how much my life had changed lately. How much had happened in so little time.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days passed in a blur. Pam and Claude helped me pack, which led to a number of arguments concerning what I wanted to take with me. Eric tried to buy new clothes for me but I wouldn't let him, instead I insisted we spend time together. I had spent as much time with Eric as possible, which meant I took mostly day shifts at Merlotte's. Sam wasn't too happy about how much time I spent at Eric's and a little surprised at how much time I spent talking to Terry. Terry was just a huge help in setting up things. He volunteered to check up on Claude now and again, as well as do odd jobs around the house. I was very grateful as I didn't trust Claude alone in my house.

Dermot and I arrived in Bangalore at 8:00 a.m. local time. He led me over to a car that was waiting outside the airport and helped me in.

"We will be staying away from the main city," he said. "There are certain rules you must know if you're to fit in. You will be given a lot of slack, as you aren't a local, but I imagine you would prefer to blend in as much as possible."

I nodded my head.

"The neighbors will be friendly, something you'll be used to. In fact, we're having breakfast with one of them." He caught my alarmed look. "Sookie, relax. The lady of the house insisted as she knew we'd be tired from travelling. She said she didn't want us to eat unhealthy hotel food."

"Why didn't you tell me before now? At least I'd be better prepared." I felt very tired and meeting new people, from a culture I didn't know much about, sounded like the last thing I wanted to do.

He raised an eyebrow. "When could I tell you? You spent most of your time at work, with Eric or packing. I was arranging things for the trip. I could've told you on the plane, but that would have made you more nervous."

He had a point there. I was suddenly reminded of Niall and Eric. Both of them were high-handed and Dermot was channeling them now. "So what are those rules you were talking about?"

"Most importantly, remove your footwear before you go into someone's house. They may tell you it isn't necessary, but do it all the same. Depending on how old the person is, you address them accordingly. Grandparents are called granny or granpa, or the equivalent in their native tongue. Those closer to your age but older are _akka_, which is older sister, or _anna_, which means older brother. Those are Tamil words and used commonly in the south. In the north, the Hindi equivalents, didi and bhaiya are used. Anyone in between is referred to as aunty or uncle. You may refer to those younger to you by their first name."

He paused and looked over to me, no doubt to see how well I was listening. "So I just think of everyone as part of my family?"

He smiled. "Exactly. Moving on, South India does not use the Namaste greeting but North India does. When it comes to table manners, Indians eat with their hands, but you may ask for a spoon. If you're uncomfortable eating with your hands, they'll understand. However in some instances, it is better to do so. Eating off a banana leaf with a spoon isn't advisable."

"They eat off leaves here?"

"During festivals, weddings or large gatherings. Some households still do. Many hotels, especially the smaller ones, serve on banana leaves." He paused. "The ashram we will stay at later will also serve food in that manner. Will it be difficult for you?"

I shook my head. "I'm just a bit surprised is all. I'll manage just fine."

"Good. That is all I can think of for now. One last thing though, pedestrians do not have the right of way here, so look both ways and be very careful when you cross the road. I wouldn't want your vampire to kill me if I return you with even a scratch."

Eric threatened him. Why was I not surprised? I decided to change the subject since I really didn't want to talk about Eric. I looked out the window. "So Indians drive on the left side of the road? Wow, that's a lot of traffic."

Dermot burst out laughing. "Sookie, this isn't much traffic. Not by Indian standards! Right now, you're just seeing the school children going to school. The office goers will start in a little while. Peak traffic is at four in the afternoon. Five million people live here, my dear." He looked sad. "This used to be a quiet village. Then the British set up a cantonment here. It became bigger and bigger. Once the software companies started settling here, there was no going back."

I noticed something else as well. "There is a tree growing on that sidewalk. Right in the middle. A huge tree!"

"Well, this used to be a forest. There were many Fae here, now they've moved away. Bangalore was once called the Garden City, but now it is the Silicon City of India. It still has many lakes and trees, but not anymore."

He looked very sad; I didn't know what to say. The rest of the ride was spent in silence while he brooded and I looked out the window.

Oo00oo

The house we were to stay in wasn't very big. It looked like the other houses in the city. Box shaped, painted a pale colour, with a flat terrace on top and sharing walls with the neighboring houses. I suppose if so many people lived in one small city, they would be packed like sardines in a can. The road was narrow, but then almost all roads here seemed to be. Only the main roads were big.

The inside of the house had a small living room, a dining room, kitchen, a small room off the kitchen that I didn't know the purpose of, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The bedrooms were upstairs, along with one bathroom. All the other rooms were downstairs. I couldn't find a laundry room but found a washing machine in the downstairs bathroom. The furniture looked homey. The beds were queen-sized with cotton sheets, the sofa set soft and comfortable, and the dining table and chairs made of teak wood. I peeked into the kitchen and noticed that the utensils were different from the ones I was used to back home.

We put away our luggage and had quick showers, then had to go next door. There were mango leaves over the entrance, and a design had been drawn with flour in front of it. Dermot told me it was a _rangoli_, upon seeing my inquiring look.

A plump lady dressed in a red sari opened the door as soon as we rang the bell. She was short, I had several inches over her, brown-skinned, her waist-long black hair in a braid and her face had no other makeup. She looked like she was in her thirties.

"There you are! I was getting worried. Dermot, you haven't changed a bit. You still look like a young man in his twenties after all these years! Is this your cousin?"

"Yes, this is Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie, this is Mrs. Radhika Sharma. We go back about fifteen years."

"Tell the girl all about it later. You can't stand outside! Come in, come in!" She saw me taking off my shoes. "You don't have to do that. Just come in. You must be starved."

Remembering what Dermot said I took my shoes off anyway before walking inside. The living room was small but neat. There was an entryway into the dining room, which was framed with strings of beads. There were flower arrangements around the place. As we followed Mrs. Sharma into the dining room, I noticed she had flowers in her hair. After we washed our hands we sat at the dining room table. She sat down with us and started to serve the food.

"The children have already left for school, Dermot. They wanted to see you but you arrived quite late." She placed a few round, white and soft things onto each of our plates and poured a yellow curry on the side. "I hope you still like idlis and sambhar. I made sure to put less chili powder in it."

"I still like idlis, akka. Sookie has never eaten them before, but I think she'll like them."

I followed Dermot's lead and ate what was on my plate. "Dermot hasn't told me anything about you. You said the children were at school?"

"Yes. I have two children. Sheila is in class 11, commerce stream and Rohan in class 12, science stream. He wants to be an engineer so he is attending classes. Sheila will take you around town this weekend. She knows all these new malls and can take you around Commercial Street too. Dermot said that you will be going to the gurukul tomorrow. I think after two days there, you'll enjoy some shopping."

I knew we were going to stay at an ashram. Dermot had told me that it was a supe colony, so I was looking forward to it.

"Today is a half day at school, so the children will be back for lunch. Sheila has been looking forward to meeting you."

We spent the meal talking about various topics. I learned that Mrs. Sharma's husband was a software engineer who worked in Electronic City, an area outside Bangalore where most of the software companies were located. After it was over, Mrs. Sharma showed us around her home; Dermot and I then went back to unpack. Dermot left soon, after telling me that I would be on my own until nightfall. I assumed he had friends to meet. I spent the morning unpacking, then called Eric, Sam and finally Claude. By the time I finished, it was afternoon. I heard a voice call my name from outside and went to investigate.

A young girl was looking at me over the wall, from Mrs. Sharma's house. She was brown, with jet- black, shoulder length hair.

"Hello! You must be Sookie. I'm Sheila. Mother asked me to call you as lunch is almost ready."

"I'll be right over."

Lunch consisted of rice, something called rasam and vegetables. I met both teenagers. Rohan was a quiet, nerdy boy. He wore glasses, had the same skin stone as his sister and mother, was just an inch taller than me and had prominent cheekbones. Both children had jean and t-shirts on and their accents less pronounced than their mother's.

After lunch was over, Rohan said he had to study and went upstairs while Sheila sat with me in the living room and asked me about my life. Her mother sat down as well and started to darn some clothes. Both were upset that my brother did not live with me, reminding me of amnesiac Eric's reaction. I told them I was dating someone but didn't mention how that someone wasn't human. Sheila was interested in how a date worked, but I felt I couldn't answer properly as Eric and I had never had a traditional date.

"Did you spend time alone together? And just talk about different things?" Sheila asked, and I noticed her mother look at her disapprovingly.

"Yes, we have. We do it quite often."

"Isn't that a date? Even if he doesn't take you out? Here, boys and girls can't spend time together. Not without conditions and chaperones and what not. Bangalore is liberal, but it is only a certain class that dates, and even then it doesn't seem the same as what I read and see on TV. You're lucky."

Before I could answer, Mrs. Sharma cut us off. "The children have started playing kabadi! Why don't you take Sookie outside and play? You've been on that computer too much these days; you should go out and play, child."

I spent the rest of the day playing with the neighborhood children. As there was no park for them to play in, they played on the streets, stopping the game every time a vehicle came through. I had an early dinner at Mrs. Sharma's, and then fell asleep, exhausted.

Oo00oo

Idlis, sambhar and rasam (also called pepper water) are all Indian dishes and commonly eaten in south India.

Kabadi is a version of dodge ball. Seven flat stones are selected and placed one on top of the other. Each player is given the chance to knock the tower down with a cricket ball. If they succeed, they retrieve the ball and try to hit the other players with it. Whoever is hit is out of the game and misses their turn at trying to knock over the tower (if it isn't over already). The other players try to rebuild the tower. When the tower is rebuilt, the next person tries to knock it over. The cycle repeats itself until everyone has a turn trying to knock over the tower. On the next cycle, the players who were hit can join in the game again.

A **cantonment** is a temporary or semi-permanent military quarters. Information on the Bangalore Cantonment can be found on Wikipedia. http : / / en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Bangalore_Cantonment


End file.
